Signal



July} 29, 1941. E. E. LARSON SIGNAL GREEN AMBER Filed June 29, 1 958 INVENTOR E 277661 E L 67/60/7 *m/m m ATTORNEY,

Patented July 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL Ernest E. Larson, Inglewood, Calii.

Application June 20, 1938, Serial No. 214,674

3 Claims.

My invention relates to signal, and more particularly to electric signals for motor vehicles or trailers, to indicate to the drivers of other vehicles or to pedestrians the speed at which the vehicle or trailer carrying the signal is traveling.

In driving at night it is often very important to know approximately how fast the vehicle is traveling; for instance, when the vehicle is slowing down for a stop street, or for any other reason.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid accidents at night which are caused by a vehicle slowing down suddenly and before the driver of another vehicle has time to correspondingly slow down his vehicle.

Another object of the invention is not only to indicate the speed of the vehicle carrying the signal, but also to indicate when the gas supply has been materially decreased, even before the actual speed of the vehicle has been materially decreased.

The invention. also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawing, like reference characters desig nate similar parts in the several views.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view, partly in sec tion, illustrating an embodiment of my present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of operating mechanism comprised in said embodiment.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4- is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 oi Figure Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. 4

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral 6 designates a speedometer of a motor vehicle. Sections I and 8 of the driving cable are respectively connected with the speedometer 6 and transmission 9 of the vehicle.

A carburetor, indicated at 10, has a butterfly valve i2 operated by an arm l3 which is actuated by a bell crank H by means of a connecting rod l5. An accelerator pedal i6 is operatively connected with the bell crank i4.

Disposed between sections 1 and 8 of the speedometer driving cable is a U-shaped bracket I! mounted on the engine side of the dash board I8. Rotatably mounted upon the legs of the U-shaped bracket is a shaft l9 connected between the cable sections 1, 8 for driving the speedometer. A spool having a flange 2| and a collar 22 is slidable upon the shaft [9. A collar 23 is fastened to the shaft is by means of a set screw 24. Connecting the collars 22 and 23 is a series of chains 25 of suitable construction. Weights 26 are respectively fastened on the chains. Spool 20 has a sleeve 2'! extending below the collar 22. The sleeve 2'! is slotted as shown at 28. A pin 23 in the shaft it permits the sleeve 21 to slide lengthwise of the shaft i 9 and prevents relative rotation of the shaft i9 and the sleeve 21. By this arrangement the faster the rotation of the weights 2B, the greater their tendency to draw the collars 22 and 23 closer together. In other words, the collars, chains and weights act as a governor.

A series of contacts 36, 39 and 32 are also mounted within the bracket ll. These contacts are insulated from each other by suitable means. Pivotally mounted on a plate 33 in the bracket is an arm 3d. The arm 34 carries a contact 35 which contacts the several contacts 30, 3| and 32 as the arm 3t is tipped. An end 36 of the arm 36 is disposed in the spool 20 between the flange 2i and the collar-22. A coil spring 31 tends to draw the arm 3d down, whereby its contact 35 engages the contact 32.

To offset some of the tension in the spring 31 when the contact 35is at its lowest position, a spring 38 resists the movement of the contact 35 near the termination of its downward movement. it stiffening bolt 39 is centered within the spring 38 and engages the arm 34. A bracket 40 slidably 7 supports the bolt 39.

The contact 35 has a spring-urged ball contact 4! which is the part that actually engages the contacts 30 to 32.

Also fastened on the shaft of the butterfly valve is an arm 42 which carries a contact 43. In the swinging movements of the arm 42, the contact 43 is disposed to engage a relatively stationary contact 44 on a fixed element 45 of the motor vehicle.

In tracing the electric circuits of the invention, the following should be noted: A source of electrical energy 46 is connected to the contact 35 by means of a wire 41. The contact 32 is connected by means of a wire 48 to a red signal light 49. The contact 3| is connected by means of a wire 50 to an amber signal light 5|. Contact 30 is connected by means of a wire 52 to a green signal light 53. All of the lights 49, 5| and 53 are grounded as indicated at 54.

The switch including the contacts 43 and 44 is in parallel with the switch including contacts 35 and 32 so that either may illuminate the red light. The contact 43 is connected with the wire 18 by means of a wire 55 and the stationary contact 44 is connected to the source 46 by means of a wire 56. The wire 56 is grounded as shown at 51.

Thus, in the operation of my invention the more rapidly that the governor rotates, the lower the spool 20 is drawn, against the action oi the spring 31 and during such increase in speed, the contact 35 is moved from engagement with the contact 32 to engagement with the contact 3|, illuminating the light 5!, and if the speed on the motor vehicle is accelerated even more, the contact 35 is moved to engagement with the contact 30, thus illuminating the light 53. As the motor vehicle decreases its speed the contact 35 moves successively from contact 30 to contact 3| and finally to contact 32. By means of adjusting nuts 58 on pin 59, connected with the spring 31, the speed necessary to tip the arm 34 may be varied.

By way of suggestion only and not as a limitation, the spring 31 may be so adjusted that the red light 49 is illuminated when the vehicle is traveling not more than fliteen miles per hour, the amber light may be illuminated when the vehicle is traveling from fifteen to forty-five miles per hour and the green light may be illuminated when the vehicle is traveling more than fortyflve miles per hour.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the lights directly indicate the speed of the vehicle so that a driver of a vehicle to the rear will receive signals at night so that he will not misjudge the speed of the car ahead and thereby crash into it.

However, to indicate when the driver has released the ioot throttle IS, a separate mechanism has been provided, for while the vehicle may be traveling at an advanced rate of speed, releasing the foot throttle i6 is bound to cause an immediate decrease in speed. In order to indicate to the driver to the rear that a decrease in the speed is about to be made, the contact 43 engages the contact u when the foot throttle is released, thus illuminating the red light even though the amber or green light may be illuminated at the same time. Thus, I provide signaling means which not only indicates the speed of the vehicle but also indicates when the vehicle is about to decrease its speed.

While I have illustrated and described what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit of my invention. I, therefore, do not wish to restrict myself to the particular form or construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

It is to be understood that while I prefer to position the difierently colored lights at the rear of the vehicle, they may also be disposed so that they may be seen from the front of the vehicle. As an example, the lights could be disposed on the windshield of the vehicle, facing forwardly. Moreover, the lights may be positioned so that they may be seen by the driver 01' the vehicle, such as placing them upon the dash board.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signaling system for automotive vehicles, comprising means driven by the vehicle proportionate to the speed 01' the vehicle, a plurality c-i! different signal lights, circuits for the lights, contacts in the circuits, movable contact means to selectively engage said contacts and thereby close the circuits selectively, a switch connected in parallel with the contact in the circuit of one of the lights and with the movable contact means, which denotes a predetermined speed range, said first mentioned means being connected to cause the movable contact to engage the contact in said circuit when the vehicle is traveling within said speed range, accelerator means for the vehicle, and mechanism connected with the accelerator means to close the switch when there is a change in the accelerator means, irrespective of the speed of the vehicle, to denote the speed oi. the vehicle and its expectant change of speed simultaneously.

2. A signaling system for automotive vehicles, comprising means driven by the vehicle proportionate to the speed of the vehicle, a red signal light, a signal light of another color, circuits for the lights, contacts in the circuits, movable contact means to selectively engage said contacts and thereby close the circuits selectively, a switch connected in parallel with the contact in the red light circuit and with the movable contact means, said first mentioned means being connected to cause the movable contact to engage the contact in the red light circuit and thus illuminate the red light, when the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined rate, and to cause the movable contact to engage the contact in the other circuit when the vehicle is traveling faster, accelerator means for the vehicle, and mechanism connected with the accelerator means to close the switch when there is a change in the accelerator, even though the movable contact is solely in engagement with the contact in the other circuit.

3. A signaling system for automotive vehicles, comprising means driven by the vehicle proportionate to the speed of the vehicle, a plurality of different signals, circuits for the signals, contacts in the circuits respectively, movable contact means operable by said vehicle driven means to selectively engage said contacts and thereby close the circuits selectively, a switch connected to separately operate one of the signals, and accelerator means for the vehicle connected to close the switch when there is a change in the accelerator means, irrespective of the position or the movable contact means.

ERNEST E. LARSON. 

